Mediate

User Participation

The Co-Design Approach

• We continue to be committed to both during the development and for the final prototype deriving the parameters for the typical user from Persons on the Autistic Spectrum (PAS) population and Autisme Europe are assisting with mechanisms to enable this objective. We will try and ensure the environment will accommodate the greatest range of user sensitivities possible within the limits of cost, practicality and time applying to the project. We have decided that to ensure exposure to appropriate individuals (i.e. there will be some extreme levels of sensitivity in some PAS which the environment can not adjust to) good information about each potential participant will be gathered beforehand (from parents, carers, teachers), and we will be very vigilant during each child's time in the MEDIATE environment (allowing an immediate and clear escape route).
  
  
• The following 10 images each give access to a Quicktime video (between 2Mb and 10Mb each) they show a range of explorations of vibrational output by a young high functioning autistic boy. These are preliminary examples of our testing of possible sensory outputs and feedbacks and an approach to give us access to the reactions of autistic individuals with a view to them suggesting appropriate directions of development.
  
  

  video 1	video 2	video 3	video 4
  video 5	video 6	video 7	video 8
  	video 9	video 10

  
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Problems Encountered

• Absence of "involving" interactivity
• Encountering these problems meant that initial 'co-design' to incorporate the autisitc viewpoint was not as valuable as we thought
• Need for variety of prototypes
• Therefore, we have been incorporating the user into our early designs by listening to experts
• Parts are nothing like the whole

Summary of Initial Input

Earlier use of an installation created by UPF members with a group of PAS in November 2001 gave our King's College and Goldsmiths partners opportunity to study reaction to a fairly intense audio and visual participatory experience for these individuals. This study along with a full review of published research of PAS involvement with multi-sensory environments has and is informing our design directions. We have recently undertaken some piloting of the sound/tactile/vision elements that will compose the environment's final suite of interfaces and this has been very positive although we recognise that this will only give us an idea of the reactions of the particular children who will finally participate in the complete environment.

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Expertise

Constant input to designers from:

• Observations of multisensory environments
  
  • Visits to multisensory rooms in London, Portsmouth and The Netherlands
  • Attendance at the 3rd National Conference held by the Multi-Sensory Environment Advisory Board, Norwich, 5th July 2002
    
    
• Advice from those who run multisensory environments
  • Interactivity in these environments does not generally relate to the individual - except switching on and off. At any one time a number of pieces of equipment tend to be broken
    
    
• Experts on unique PAS individuals (AE)
  • It appears generalisation is difficult, e.g. do autistic individuals like yellow? - Answer some do some do not - many will "see" it more vibrantly than neuro-typicals, but this is probably not related to whether or not they like it - each is unique
    
    
• Psychological experts (IoP)
  
  • Review paper shows there is little agreement in the 'experimental' literature, with reference to autism and sensory processing (and perception)
    
  • Observational study with a small group in an interactively sophisticatd environment (Lightpools at Braford) - very low functioning individuals did not understand, however, there was evidence of cooperation prompted by the interactive nature of the environment

Psychology Report Outline

• What does the literature tell us about PAS and sensory processing?
• Pilot Study.
• Plans for evaluation.
• Plans for academic exploitation and further research.

PAS and Sensory Processing

• What does the literature tell us?
  
  The evidence we have suggests that compared to neuro-typical people, sensory processing in autism can be very different, disorientating and even painful. Personal accounts provide powerful insights into the sensory and perceptual experiences of PAS. They describe a whole host of unusual sensory experiences ranging from an acute oversensitivity to a complete lack of sensory registration. What is less clear is the generalisability of these accounts to the majority of PAS. This situation is compounded by the fact that there can be a wide variety of responses to sensory stimuli. For example, it is not possible to say that all children with autism find loud sounds such as lawn mowers distressing. At a more general level, it appears that particular patterns of sensory processing may be able to distinguish children with autism from other clinical groups.
  
  
• Need for more research.
  
  In terms of the prevalence of sensory processing problems in autism, the range is very broad. One review concluded that between 30% and 100% of children with autism have sensory-perceptual abnormalities of some kind. This large range indicates the pressing need for more carefully controlled studies.

  With regards to the role of multisensory environments and PAS, there is very little information available. In this respect, our work will help fill an important gap in our knowledge.

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Lightpools: A Pilot Study

• Emphasising the relations between cause and effect.
  
  Lightpools is an installation designed by one of the MEDIATE partners, Narcis Pares, and his team. The installation consists of a circular arena onto which images can be projected. Participants each have one of four lanterns, the light of which matches triangles on the floor. When these two pools of light are matched, the triangle grows, metamorphosing into one of a range of colourfully animated images.

• We piloted this installation with young children with moderate learning difficulties and/or autistic spectrum disorder by observing their reactions and recording their views. Overall, the response was very positive. The installation not only encouraged individual interest and motivation, but also promoted interaction and co-operation. For the one lower functioning individual with autism, there appeared to be difficulties in appreciating cause and effect. It was felt this made the installation less accessible to him, reducing interaction, participation and creativity. Although Lightpools was not designed specifically for lower functioning children with autism, our pilot study did emphasise the importance of making the link between cause and effect very clear for the MEDIATE environment.
  
  
• Study conclusions:
  
  
  • Encouraged individual interest.
  • Promoted interaction and co-operation.